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(No Model.) 2-Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. RODNEY.

OAR BRAKE.

Patented Jan. 4,1898.

W1 cnesses A J (No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2.

J. H. RODNEY. GAR BRAKE.

No. 596,666. 'P atented Jan. 4, 1898.

Witesses: V Inventor. fi ht/Alf w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. ROONEY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO FORD STARRIN G, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,666, dated January 4, 1898.

Application filed November 20, 1896. $erial No. 612,807. (No model.)

T aZZZ whom, it may concern/.-

Beit known that LJAMEs I-I. RooNEY,a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the construction of a car-brake especially designed for electric street-cars, and particularly in the construcof a track-brake; further, in the combining of a track-brake and a wheel-brake and in so arranging them that the wheel-brake is applied by and proportionately with the trackbrake, and, further, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device as applied to a truck, showing it in its operative position. is a section through the truck, showing the parts of my brake in elevation as being applied. Fig. 3 is a plan-view of the truck with the brake attached.

A is the truck-frame, on the cross-bars D of which are supported the saddle-blocks B.

J are links made in two parts, which are clamped together by the bolts j, by means of which the length of the links may be adjusted. At the lower end the links support the shoesupports H, to which is detachably connected the wear block or shoe 0 (preferably of wood) by means of screw-bolts 0. parts are alike on both sides of the car, and the two shoe-supports H are connected by a connecting bar or rod 1, preferably connecting the middle portions of such support.

' M are springs connected at one end to the car-frame and at the other end to the bar I, acting to hold the shoes normally out of contact with the track, as'shown in Fig. 1.

G is a rock-shaft journaled in bearings in the brackets E on the frame, its intermediate portion being preferably of polygonal crosssection.

F are rock-arms on the rock-shaft G, extending above and below the same. These rock-arms are connected by the connectingbars N with the bar I. The lower pair of Fig. 2'

These they are attached to the rock-arms. The 7 nuts Z Z also may adjust the amount of lost motion.

P is the draw-bar, connected at opposite ends by thepull-rods K to the upper rockarms F, suitable adjustment being provided.

T is a lever for actuating the draw-bar and having suitable connections (not shown) by which the motorman can operate the brake.

The brake-beam has the shoes Q and is supported by the links R. The pull-bars are preferably supported on the bar U of the frame.

The parts being thus constructed their operation is as follows: The normal or inoper ative position of the parts is as in Fig. l, the spring holding the links forward. The shoe from the track and the nuts Z in contact with,

the brake-beam 0 hold the shoes Q out of contact with the forward wheels. The motorman applying the brake pulls on the lever T, which moves the draw-bar P and through the pull-rods K rocks the shaft G, the lower arms F thereon swinging the links J toward the vertical (against the tension of the springs M) until the shoes strike the track. The for- ,ward movement of the car aids the power of brake applied. The motion of the car after the track-brake is applied serves to apply thewheel-brake.

The parts are shown in operating position in Fig. 2. At no time do I desire to have the links J assume a vertical position. Thus when the car is stopped the weight of the car on the track-brake will, (together with the spring M,) as soon as the motorman releases the operating device, rock the links into the position shown in Fig. 1.

Practical trials of this device determine that the motorman has simply to apply suffioient power to overcome the springs M and cause the shoes 0 to control the track, when the motion of the car will do the rest.

Experience shows that the bulk of the Weight of the car rests on the front wheels after the brake is applied, and that it is more difficult to skid those wheels, so that the wheelbrake can safely be applied to the front wheels without danger of their being flattened.

By maintaining the links J, even at the extremity of their movement, in an inclined position they will release their braking action without any effort of the motorman as soon as the brake is released, even though the weight of the car is practically upon the trackbrakes.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In a car-brake, track brake-shoes, forwardly-inclined links suspending the same, means for lowering the shoes into contact with the track and a stop for the track-shoe applied before the links assume the vertical.

2. In a car-brake, track brake-shoes, forwardly-inclined links suspending the same, means for lowering the shoes into contact with the track, a wheel-brake and a connection between the track-shoes and wheel-brake whereby the application of the wheel-brake acts as a stop for the track-brake.

3. In a car-brake, a rearwardly and downwardly movable rail-shoe applied when in contact with the rail automatically by the momentum of the car, means for holding said shoe normally out of contact with the rail,

means for lowering the shoe into contact with the rail, and stop mechanism for limiting the rearward and downward movement of the rail-shoe.

4. In a car-brake, an automatic friction- 4 operated rail-shoe, means for holding the shoe normally out of contact with the rail, means for moving the rail-shoe to contact with the rail, a wheel brake shoe, and connecting means between the said rail and wheel shoes whereby the wheel-shoe is applied by the movement of the rail-shoe and the movement of the rail-shoe is limited by the application of the wheel-shoe.

5. In a car-brake, the combination of the car-frame having the cross-bars such as D, of the saddle-blocks B having bearings to engage the cross-bars, the adjustable links J pivoted on said blocks and the shoe-supports carried at the lower ends of the links.

6. In a car-brake, the combination of the shoe supported by inclined links, of the rockshaft G connected to the shoes, oppositelyextending rock-arms thereon, a wheel-brake connection from one rock-arm to the wheelbrake, connection from the other rock-arm to the actuating mechanism and the rock-arm connection between the shaft and the shoe, substantially as described.

7 The combination of the two shoes H, the inclined links supporting the same, a connecting-bar between the shoes, a transverse rock-shaft, rock-arm connections between said shaft and the connecting-bar between the shoes, two rock-arms on the rock-shaft connected respectively to a stop and to the actuating mechanism, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the track-brakes,the wheel-brake and the actuating mechanism,of a connecting mechanism between the two comprising the rod L with the lost motion, such as is efiected by the two separated nuts Z Z, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. ROONEY.

Witnesses:

JAMES WHITTEMORE, M. B. ODQGHERTY. 

